the tails of buster & lyla

We've moved

2009-03-30T23:02:00.001-04:00

Since it's pretty daunting to update this blog, we've moved over to Tumblr where it'll be easy for mom to post updates and pictures of our cuteness. Follow us, bookmark it, or add the new URL to your RSS readers.

See you there!

THE TAILS OF BUSTER AND LYLA on Tumblr

Happy Holidays from Buster, Lyla and Kelly (2008)

2009-01-05T22:42:00.002-05:00

Better late than never. All the best in 2009, dear readers.

It's All About Buster and Lyla in 2009!

2009-01-05T22:24:00.004-05:00

Long time no talk, folks! I know, I know, I'm the one to blame. But the good news is that during the silence, I haven't slacked on taking lots of photos of the kitties so there will be plenty of adorable updates to come. Returning to regular updates on this blog is one of my New Year's resolutions, after all. :)

First off, please admire how big the kitties have gotten since we last checked in:

They're still as sweet as ever, thankfully! They've had some adjustments within the last 6 or so months as we moved into a new apartment. It's much bigger than our old one, so the kitties have lots of room to run around, find multiple napping spots and, well, get in trouble.

Like I said, lots of new updates and pictures from the last few months and beyond to come.... but in the meantime, please enjoy the Buster and Lyla pumpkin that I carved for Halloween 2008.

Very Sad Day: Remembering Lucy Reeves

2008-08-06T22:42:00.004-04:00

Today, as I was wrapping up at work and about to head home, I got a phone call from Mom who informed me that they had to put Lucy to sleep today. Lucy as you may recall is either B&L's aunt or sister (whichever way you look at it) and lived with my parents in GA. It was relatively out of the blue, as Lucy is the youngest of all five of the Reeves family cats in GA, and only showed signs of slugishness/off-ness within the past few days.

I don't know all the details, but it involved something about fluid and heart troubles and a 25 % chance.

Not only was Lucy the sweetest cat our family has ever owned, but she and Jackson were soulmates. I'm saddened when thinking about how much Jackson will miss her as he starts to realize that she's never coming back. Sure he has 3 other cats to keep him company, but it's really not the same. (Especially since they are not his biggest fans since he and Lucy teamed up to terrorize them, sometimes)

I think what's catching me off guard the most is how unanticipated it was. Every time I visit home, I spend an extra few minutes petting and loving on Samantha and Tabitha (our 17 year old cats) as I prepare myself that it may be my last time saying goodbye to them. The thought of one of the other 3 cats dying before them has never ever entered my mind.

Don't really know what else to say, but it's never easy losing a pet. Especially one that was so sweet, snuggily and excited to see you. I wish Buster and Lyla could've gotten a chance to meet her. Lucy... you will be missed.

(ps, sorry mom, stop crying. this was therapeutic for me.)

Pet Charts Loves Buster's Big Paws

2008-07-17T15:42:00.005-04:00

Lyla had her moment in the Purina Pet Charts sun (she's #12 on the All Time voting list now, btw), and now Buster has been chosen, too.

Vote for Buster's sleepy face and his ginormous paws here.

We're still not sure what voting actually accomplishes (read: nothing), but it's still fun for the kitty's pride and fame.

In other kitty news, Buster and Lyla will be celebrating their first birthday this weekend (my how time flies) and lots of updates to come.

Vote for Lyla! Updates coming soon...

2008-05-20T17:28:00.003-04:00

No idea what this is or why Lyla's little face is on it... but GO VOTE FOR HER NOW! Underneath the main big photo there is a sliding gallery. Find Lyla [pic above] and vote for her. You don't need to log in or anything. Give her the fame, people!

My mom has yelled at me for not updating (because clearly I have lots of time on my hands) But I promise I have lots of good pics and updates to come. I promise. If you vote, I'll deliver the goods :)

And here's Buster... because I don't like to discriminate:

Baby Birthdays: Urlesque 1 week old and B&L are 9 Months Old!

2008-04-15T18:30:00.000-04:00

Hello friends!

I've been super busy at work launching a new site: Urlesque.com. Basically, a site about fun/weird stuff on the Internet, web trends, etc. And since you can't take the cat outta the girl, I've already found a tie-in that enabled me to post a round-up of cat videos. I guess now I'm technically getting paid to find ridiculous things on the web like Cats Crankin' That. Check out the blog... it's been a ton of late nights and early mornings but we're extremely excited about it.

Here are a few good places to start:
+ Cat Ladies Rejoice! Flickr Video Breathes Life into Cat Photos
+ Hello World: LOL Together, Right Now, Over Us [an intro]
+ Marching Band Cover Songs [for matt & steph]
+ We give our opinion on the NYT article about the 'dangers' of blogging
...and so much more!

Not that you care! You wanna hear about Buster and Lyla. Okay, fine. The kitties are doing so well... they are as sweet as ever and if you're keeping track [as I'm obviously not], they're now 9 months old! To me they seem pretty much full grown, or close. Buster's still huge with his big clumsy paws and Lyla is still petite. I have taken photos recently so I'll try to get those uploaded soon. They're starting to settle down more so they're not as exciting to report about on a daily basis. Although I know you guys want the juice! Here are a few to keep you happy : )

lyla's new spot: on the microwave or up on the cabinets.

buster sweet face.

I have my next pet-slanted list for Urlesque already in mind, don't worry! That and more B&L coming soon...

helllllllo! we're all still alive.

2008-03-26T22:23:00.004-04:00

hi dear readers. so sorry that i haven't given you an update on the kitties in a while... been very busy at work! i'm back from austin and the kitties were very sweet when i came home. they were very thankful that kim and jason took such good care of them and are a little sad that their new friends stopped coming by to play!

buster seems to be growing by the minute. he is such a big kitty. hopefully, he'll stop growing soon. he is a full two-handfuls to carry. he loves to just lay on the floor and stretch out . he still snuggles with mommy at nighttime, though. he's the sweetest boy.

lyla is still on the dainty side and has recently discovered her new favorite sitting spot: on top of the kitchen cabinets. we tried to keep her off at first, but there is no stopping this stubborn lil lady.

more photos and updates to come!

Aventures in Kittysitting

2008-03-14T11:27:00.008-04:00

Hi it's Kim! I'm Buster & Lyla's kittysitter while their mommy Kelly is down rocking, rolling and patrolling at SXSW.

We've been having lots of fun -- I, Buster, Lyla, Cookie Monster and special guest, Jason. I think they were a little wary of me at first because during my first visit, they spent most of the time in Kelly's bedroom wrestling with Cookie Monster and peeking out into the livingroom. But we did get in some quality cuddling during 'American Idol.' It was really sad leaving them Wednesday night!

Yesterday was better. I think they're getting used to me and having Jason last night to help play was key. Two sitters, two kitties = lots more love.

I've learned a lot about these kitties in just two days. While Kelly did warn me that Lyla loves to jump on top of the fridge, I wasn't prepared for exactly how much ... stuff would be on the floor upon entering the apartment each time. Paper towels, tea, magnets ... I crack up. I also died laughing, when I walked in on Wednesday night and found two little play mice in their water bowl. Are they protesting their mommy being away by drowning fuzzy toys? Or was it a present for their caretaker? I can't be sure.

Hope you like the photos Kelly! They miss you (I can tell).

xoxoxoxo

lyla likes to play fetch

2008-03-07T12:04:00.003-05:00

lyla has developed a new skill [besides getting into EVERYTHING and driving me crazy]. she likes to play fetch. i have no idea where this came from and it's not something i trained her to do using treats, etc. it just happened one day. and now it's like our little playtime together. whenever she wants to play fetch she brings a toy to me on the bed and drops it down. i stayed up way too late last night and made a video to show her skills because who on earth would believe me! by special request, this one's for you jen!

apologies for the shaky hand [it's hard to film and play]!

riddle me this: separation anxiety

2008-03-06T12:12:00.003-05:00

this is so lyla!

whenever i leave the house, or am away for the night, lyla cries whenever jessie retires to her room and is left alone [WITH buster, mind you]. she cries and cries [or so i hear ;)]. i feel really guilty pretty much everytime i leave. i've been doing a little research on separation anxiety in cats and some of the signs from petplace.com ring loud and clear...

- Over-attachment to the owner, following that person from room to room around the house.

- Distress as the owner prepares to depart (so-called pre-departure anxiety). This can take many forms but some of the more common presentations are meowing, sulking, apparent depression, slinking away, and hiding.

- Vocalization (crying, moaning, meowing) right after the owner has left (you might need to set a tape recorder to check this sign).

- Destructive behavior – rare, but some cats may claw and scratch door edges presumably in an attempt to escape from their solitary confinement.

- Exuberant greeting behavior – as if greeting a long lost friend that they did not expect to see ever again.

i included the ones that are the most true for her. since she's not 'making accidents' outside of the litterbox or more of the extreme signs, i don't think it's severe... but i think she still is anxious. when i was away for a week on vacation, they pretty much stopped eating and it took a week or so for both of the kitties to regain their appetite. i got the kittens when they were very young and were parted from their mother VERY early, another sign. lyla constantly reminds me of her early weaning separation by suckling on cookie monster.

i have found a few tips on various websites that I am going to try out...
- leaving on the radio/television
- ignoring the kitties 15-20 mins before leaving and when coming home to make the events less dramatic. [this is going to be SOOO hard for me. i say bye to each of the kitties like 3 times before i leave and am used to them running up on the bed when i get home and i hug them/pet/kiss/etc.]

i'm pretty sure that i can't/won't do ALL of the tips [some are intense]...like one site said keep cats out of the bedroom which is pretty much impossible with my current living situation.

has anyone else experienced separation anxiety with their kitty? any tips?

i thought the fact that lyla was obsessed with me was really cute and honestly made me feel good, but now i am nervous that she is mildly stressed. and that makes me stressed. i always feel so guilty leaving. gosh, can you imagine when i have KIDS? send me over any separation issues with pet owners tips you can find... cause i know I have it TOO!

cat of 1000 faces

2008-03-05T11:24:00.001-05:00

happy hump day! here's a cute video to keep your week rolling along with a smile...

[thx slenz!]

lolcat lundi: chores edition

2008-03-03T15:24:00.003-05:00

thx ICHC. vote for buster!

a special birthday message from a few of the reeves family animals

2008-03-01T15:15:00.007-05:00

happy birthday to my dad, bill reeves, the biggest sucker for cats although he'd never admit it.

a few of his animalchildren had a few words to say on this special day...

heartwarming! so buster and lyla, anything to add?

you lazy bums...

happy birthday dad!

update! lots of photos.

2008-02-24T21:26:00.005-05:00

i've been a-slacking on updating. here's a few things the kitties have been up to:
entering the terrible twos
running around like maniacs
chewing holes in a blanket on my bed
knocking things off shelves
getting b-i-g-g-e-r
varying their eating habits

but overall they've still been hella cute and here's a buncha recent photos i haven't posted yet to prove it.

they are both still big fans of bathtubs.

they are still good cuddlers.

they like to 'hide.'

buster has taken a particular interest in sitting in a trashcan.

they have fun when i make the bed.

but at the end of the day they are still sweet, sleepy babies.

happy valentine's day...

2008-02-14T11:56:00.002-05:00

+ animals with heart prints. [cute overload]
+ rudy gives winston some licks. [fourfour]
+ v-day voodoo [petsugar]

linknip: evening giggles

2008-02-07T17:26:00.000-05:00

thought this was cute. via jezebel.

a special message from buster, lyla, and kelly

2008-02-07T13:38:00.000-05:00

we want to wish a big happy birthday to mom reeves... [who has just learned how to comment, btw!]

loving mother to 2 human children...

...one in law...

...5 furry children...

...4 furry grandchildren...

and all around cool gal!

the yardstick - 2.3.08

2008-02-07T00:26:00.000-05:00

week twentytwo - twentyeight weeks old

buster and lyla were being cute on a sunday afternoon and were perched on the windowledge watching the pigeons, as they often do during the mornings. i'm just going to post a bunch of the pictures that i took...since they were being so cute.

they really love each other!

and people {mom}, i don't have more pictures of buster because i love him more... he is just more photogenic and cooperative.

lolcat lundi: tunes edition

2008-02-06T17:56:00.000-05:00

thx ICHC lolbuilder!

my first ever kitties: wally and beaver

2008-01-30T22:01:00.001-05:00

before i was ever born, mom & dad adopted two little orange boy kittens. as i've mentioned before, my parents have a soft spot for naming kitties after tv show characters... so they were named wally and beaver.

i've had a slew of sweet kitties in my life, but beaver was hands down the sweetest. he would always stick by my side and if i was upset he would comfort me. he was such a good snuggler, and would sleep under the covers with his head on my pillow next to me. [i have a picture of this somewhere. i need to upload it!]

wally passed away when i was in second grade or so, before we moved into our second house in ga...where i lived out the majority of my childhood. wally and i were never super close, as he was partial to mom. after we moved, we adopted samantha and tabitha... and even though beaver was old, he was such a sweet big brother and played with them.

i want to say that beaver died when i was in fourth grade. i remember my parents letting me go to the vet to say goodbye to him. he was really ill in the end, and even though my little mind had a hard time grasping what was going on, it was obvious that it was his time. i have another memory of sitting in the kitchen floor, gripping a picture of him and just sobbing. not sure if it was the same night or when. i always say he was my best friend. and although people make fun of me... i knew he cared. aaaand i'm seriously choked up right now.

on a lighter note, it wasn't until recently that my mom told me about how beaver had some health issue where they had to remove his manhood. like even further than neutering. my parents joke that he had a sex change. aww beaver. we still love you.

this one's for you wally & bevo! hope you're eating so many treats in kittyheaven... you deserve them.

lolcat lundi: espanol edition

2008-01-29T17:44:00.001-05:00

i know i'm a day late.

what can i say, lyla knows a little spanish! plug "Esta Es Mi Libro" into Google Translate to see what she's sayin'. make your own LOLz here.

little -> big cat faces

2008-01-27T22:17:00.000-05:00

reminiscing... remarkable how fast they grow in 20 weeks...

little buster face to big buster face.

little lyla face to big lyla face.

look back at their first week @ home photos... [7 weeks old]

the yardstick - 1.27.08

2008-01-27T22:01:00.000-05:00

week twentyone - twentyseven weeks old

the yardstick is getting spotty as the kitties are getting older... they're still growing though! at least buster is...he is so. big. the kitties are doing a lot more sleeping these days, so majority of the pictures i have now are snoozing kitties.

buster.

buster's face is turning more brown!

lyla.

here's a nice side-by-side comparison!

we knew buster was going to be big...but omg. he has such big paws to fill!

HALP! cat sitter/boarding recommendations

2008-01-26T19:50:00.000-05:00

in march, both mommy and jessie are going out of town at the same time for sxsw. typically jeff is the kitties' amazing babysitter...except he will be gone too! oh noes.

i'm already very anxious about this, and not sure what i'm going to do with the kitties when the time comes to leave. the kitties are pretty set in their schedule as far as cats go and i think they'll go crazy without any supervision. if i don't come home for a night, they run around like psychokittehs and lyla cries a lot. [she is needy and loves her mommy, what can i say?] anywho, it's less than few months away so i wanted to start thinking about it!

do any readers have any local [nyc, manhattan, east village] recommendations for pet sitters or boarding? or are any of my wonderful friends interested in dropping by and feedings/playing with the kitties [you will be compensated of course!] you can even stay at my place if you'd like.

they're very sweet and won't cause you any trouble. our apartment is also located near astor place, very close to the R,W and 6 trains. any takers or recommedations? please let me know! e-mail me: kellyreeves @ gmail dot com.

thankies!

linknip: catlovers! find your match.

2008-01-25T12:44:00.000-05:00

thank goodness i have a bf and don't have to turn to this -> purrsonals.com

just click to experience. and please make sure you watch the intro from this catlady.

shhh kitties, mommy is sleeping.

2008-01-24T15:51:00.001-05:00

just kidding. i'm becoming a terrible updater. more to come soon.

take this time to relax and do some chores like cleaning your monitor. [<- click that]

Another Lyla Spay Day Update

2008-01-17T23:28:00.000-05:00

lyla seems to be a-ok! she's been scooting around the apartment and taking lots of naps. occasionally she'll try to jump on things, but realizes that it doesn't feel very good. buster has been behaving and not trying to play with her. lyla hasn't really eaten anything since she's been home, but getting lots of zzzs. she's pretty groggy. but still cute!

here's an almost picture of her battle wound. she doesn't like it when i get too close to it, obvs.

here's a video of cute brother buster coming to her aid:

long day! good night!

Update: Lyla's Spay Day

2008-01-17T13:08:00.000-05:00

just spoke to the vet, and lyla is doing just fine!

in fact, she said lyla was very 'crabby' and had to get out some gloves to handle her. aww lyla. she's just like her momma. restrict us from eating, and we're not very pleasant.

[and yes, i'm hyping this jam again because i love it]

lyla's spay day!

2008-01-17T10:54:00.000-05:00

good morning! lyla is currently 'under the knife' [i'm assuming] i dropped her off about an hour or two ago...and supposed to pick her up later this evening.

buster seems a little more concerned with where lyla is than she was when he was getting his alteration. occasionally, he'll walk around and cry for her. he's a very loving brother.

now, however, he's just chillin' next to me and taking a bath.

poor lyla. getting the snip snip. she's been my little medical emergency so far... so i'm a little nervous, although sure everything will be fine.

updates to come!

just one spot

2008-01-16T18:46:00.000-05:00

one of my favorite parts about buster is one little spot on the back of his ginormous catfoot.

so cute.

linknip: big brother

2008-01-16T13:41:00.001-05:00

on a scale of 1-100, how psycho would you think i was if i bought a petcam to see what the kitties are up to all day? only $100! think of the possibilities. hey, then maybe YOU could see them in action too?

pals over at bklynbunny have been showcasing their bunbun roebling via live bunny cam since 2005. they even developed lots of fun, unique merch for the site [room sprays? rad]. and now, for a good cause! all sales of their BB products go to animal charities. i am a proud owner of a pink BB tee.

this is roebling:

pic via BB of course : )
hop on over to see what he's up to.

eh who am i kidding? my loony cats would knock over that camera before i even get it installed.

buy camster @ target. [thx petsugar for the cam tip]

cat-sup!

2008-01-16T00:06:00.000-05:00

hiya world. well i'm still trying to get back in the swing of things after the holidays & vacation. bear with me!

the kitties have been oh-so-sweet since my return, although they're not eating very much [stopped eating when i was gone, awww] hopefully, they'll build back up their appetite soon especially now that we're back on schedule.

i almost totally forgot about this... but this thursday is a big day. lyla is having her spay day! yes, you heard me right, lyla will be having a little procedure! so sad. now if you remember, the vet said we should have lyla's little ticker looked at before she goes under the anesthesia. he thinks that the mumur isn't bad enough to create any compliations so we're going ahead with the surgery. don't want her goin' in heat and yellin' in my ear all night up in here. regardless, i'm still very anxious about the whole thing with the murmur issue AND the allergic reaction that one time...lyla is my little medical issue. she's still so tiny! so anyway, that is coming soon.

here are some cute pictures and a video that i don't think i posted yet of the kitties watching their video catnip!

hi pet me!

the yardstick - 1.13.08 straw bag edition

2008-01-13T21:02:00.000-05:00

since i was gone last week, there are no pictures from last sunday. but now mommy's home from vacation! since i've been home, the kitties have been all over a straw beach bag that i brought home from the bahamas. consider it their new scratching post!

week nineteen - twentyfive weeks old

buster. [obvs. still mad that i left for that long... look at his face!]

lyla.

Quick Update...

2008-01-09T15:56:00.001-05:00

As everyone knows, Kelly and Jeff are out of town this week on vay-cay and I am in charge of the kitties. (I am fairly competent, no worries). Just wanted to give a quick update and let everyone know that the kittens are fantastic, even though they really do miss their mom. It's sweet, you can tell they are a little bit confused by the fact that she is gone. Other than that, they are just getting into their normal shenanigans (they are definitely in the middle of the terrible two's) and being their usual sweet selves.

I was only able to get a photo of Buster this time around. Lyla wouldn't sit still long enough for me to take a pic of her. Lol, so typical. So the photo here is Buster asleep in my purse. (Haha. He LOVES that bag. He usually hides the toy mice in there for me to find later at random times).

More pics to come in the next few days if I can manage to get a few decent shots of them...

schmupdate & photos!

2008-01-04T19:09:00.001-05:00

the blog has been fairly quiet this week, and for that i apologize.

the kitties have been awfully naughty this week [perhaps amidst the terrible twos?] by pulling down aunt jessie's curtains and running out of the front door and into the hall everytime mommy comes home. yeesh!

i'm warning ya, this space will be even quieter next week as mommy [AND jeff, usual kittysitter] are going out of town! i'm so very sad to leave the kitties again but aunt jessie will be taking good care of them. maybe we can nudge her into guest posting, we'll see.

here are some cute photos to make up for the quietness. enjoy!

buster a fan of recycling:

lyla pimpin her page:

lyla is nuts:

kitties always getting into something:

she will eat you next:

buster hunts:

lyla hunts:

and exactly what i was thinking... is this day over yet?

see ya after vay-cay!

a message from buster and lyla...

2008-01-01T20:01:00.001-05:00

happy new year and all the best in 2008!

Happy New Year!

2007-12-31T18:30:00.000-05:00

lyla and buster say EAT DRINK AND & MERRY!

lolcat lundi: carols edition

2007-12-31T12:49:00.000-05:00

[thx lolcat builder]

buster likes gossip girl

2007-12-31T12:09:00.000-05:00

so, as i mentioned before, the kitties received video catnip for christmas. ever since they realized the television was there while watching birds and squirrels, they have taken an added interest in the tube.

buster, in particular, is a big fan. sometimes the kitties will watch with a passing glance, but for some reason buster really took to the marvelous cw show, gossip girl. he lingered and watched for quite some time.

here's a video. he just can't get enough! looks like someone is partial to blair waldorf.

and as a typical male, he didn't even FLINCH through the commercials due to a victoria's secret ad.

the yardstick - 12.30.07

2007-12-31T12:04:00.000-05:00

week seventeen - twentythree weeks old

getting so so big!

buster.

lyla.

linknip: not ready to let go of christmas edition

2007-12-28T11:32:00.000-05:00

+ mr. pink sends holiday greetings and has a happy pinkmas!
+ despite my love for HK, a gift i would NOT like to receive: hello kitty contacts.
+ gothamist finds photos of cute animals ready for the holidays.
+ men and cats show off their holiday pride.
+ petsugar shows a new twist on a DIY catbed. love this.
+ look at josef's bunny. so so cute.
+ finally, christmas just wouldn't be complete without our first favorite online animal friend, winston, dressed up as santa.

the yardstick - 12.24.07

2007-12-26T14:12:00.000-05:00

week sixteen - twentytwo weeks old

buster.

lyla.

all pics from jeff.

winter break / christmas update!

2007-12-26T13:58:00.000-05:00

merry christmas!

the kitties have had quite a holiday weekend! i [mommy] have been away at home visiting with family since thursday evening and the kitties are once again in the care of jeff. they have been at his apartment, on their first road trip upstate to millbrook and back again.

surprisingly, the kitties were very well behaved and relaxed while they were in upstate new york. thankfully they didn't cause any trouble while visiting with jeff's parents!

buster even had his first step outside [and ran right back inside!] since he was rescued. he is quite the scardy cat.

i miss the kitties so much and can't wait to see them when i fly in from atlanta today!

the kitties got me the most excellent christmas present! they got me a new flip video camera so i can take lots of videos of them as they continue to grow and be cute.

besides lots of fun toys, the kitties got a video catnip dvd from jeff! they already love watching the squirrels and birds. not sure what video catnip is? see my gift suggestion here. i have fun videos to share with you of the kitties watching the dvd. coming soon!

to see more pics from their fun winter weekend, see jeff's flickr.

buster likes to cuddle

2007-12-18T10:55:00.000-05:00

buster is the sweetest most cuddly kitty i've ever had. at night he likes to nuzzle his little head into my hair and/or neck and just purr purr purr. like so...

he is so sweet. if he's in the mood, he still likes to be held and that just makes me so so happy.

the yardstick - 12.16.07

2007-12-18T10:48:00.000-05:00

week fifteen - twentyone weeks old

buster.

he is seriously getting so huge. look at his ginormous paw.

lyla.

sometimes she still brings out the wonky eye.

both babies.

Happy Holidays from Buster, Lyla and Kelly!

2007-12-14T15:40:00.000-05:00

as previously mentioned, my holiday card is of epic proportions. since the card is already circulating the US via snail mail, i wanted to post it all for our e-friends. and also since i can't wait another minute for christmas... here it is!

if you recall, i recently acquired photoshop, thus why it's so completely out of control.

linknip, a fuzzy distraction

2007-12-13T12:30:00.000-05:00

+ cloned cats that GLOW IN THE DARK? this is majorly creepy.
+ jezebel takes a peek through a 'cat'alog. also terrifying because i further realize i am a crazy cat lady.
+ i would love to go to the cat cafe.
+ dog pants!
+ THESE PEOPLE are more obsessed with their pets than i. although i did contemplate driving home or buying pet plane tickets in order to bring the kitties home for the holidays. [via gawker]

the cat's outta the bag

2007-12-13T00:17:00.000-05:00

this has got to be one of my proudest moments. ladies and gentlemen, i am elated to present my first 'edited' cat video. complete with music and titles. special thanks to the vimeo imovie basics tutorial video for teaching me all the tools to make this masterpiece.

in today's video, buster has lyla pinned in a shopping bag. how will she escape? let's watch!

without further ado... the cat's outta the bag.

what is that glorious noise featured in this video? why it's a band called wilco and the song is 'i'm the man who loves you'!!! listen to the full track at the hype machine and there you can find lots of ways to have it for your own collection.

lyla likes to sprawl.

2007-12-13T00:06:00.001-05:00

what can i say? at times, lyla takes after her mother who i have to admit is not the most graceful woman alive. sometimes when lyla is tuckered out she just spreads herself out. looks uncomfortable, but hey at least she's gettin' some zzz's.

in the back.

passed out on cookie monster.

most of the time, she sprawls out ontop of buster.

but she's still so cute.

happy [belated] hannukah to all of our jewish friends.

2007-12-11T23:52:00.001-05:00

in honor of your holiday since passed, lyla would like to invite you to a riveting game of dreidel.

lolcat lundi, christmas spirit edition

2007-12-11T23:50:00.000-05:00

a few days behind, i know : )

the yardstick - 12.9.07

2007-12-11T17:57:00.001-05:00

week fourteen - twenty weeks old

buster.

lyla.

from above.

cats crankin' that

2007-12-06T15:54:00.000-05:00

i have a recent fascination with soulja boy.

here's the video for his amazing song 'crank that':

jeff dressed up as soulja boy for halloween.

because people are nuts, people not only video tape themselves doing the 'crank that' dance... they make their cats do it. these would be the most amazing videos ever if the cats didn't look so pissed.

how cute is this kitty??

Crank Dat Soulja Cat from fi5e on Vimeo.

and remember this kitty?

this one makes me a little nauseous but how cute is this kitten?!

what patient kitties.

ZOMG!!!! HELLO KITTY CRANKS DAT!

buster likes boobs.

2007-12-04T23:30:00.000-05:00

what can i say? my little guy is a boob-man. typical, huh? from day one, he has shown an added interest in the built-in pillows on mommy's chest. in fact, aunt jessie claims that he looks 'confused' when held by a not so 'blessed' lady. buster is a really sweet boy and likes to be held sometimes. when he does, his head lands straight on the holder's bosom.

his excitement extends further than being held. if there's a bra in sight, he's all over it.

holiday card preview

2007-12-04T23:22:00.000-05:00

get ready for a holiday card of epic proportions!

thanks aunt stephanie for our new carrier!

2007-12-04T23:20:00.000-05:00

over thanksgiving, i visited with my family in nashville and atlanta. my sister-in-law stephanie [mother of stanley and ralphie] wanted to give me my christmas present early. it's a good thing too. she and my brother had gotten me, buster and lyla new cat carriers and i was definitely in the market!

i wasn't sure if the kitties would like the new digs, but as soon as i brought it home they were all over it.

thanks aunt stephanie! it's not only functional but stylish as well.

buster ballchop update...

2007-12-04T00:22:00.004-05:00

sorry folks if i left you hanging! buster has been absolutely fine since his 'procedure' on friday. he was very happy to be home on friday night and not too out of it! in fact, he was running around and napping per usual. yay!

- aftershot -

next up... getting lyla's lil heart checked out this week to see if we can proceed with her surgery.

the yardstick - 12.2.07

2007-12-03T23:57:00.000-05:00

week thirteen - nineteen weeks old

buster.

lyla.

lolcat lundi...double edition

2007-12-03T23:05:00.000-05:00

to make up for last week's break...2 lolcats for your lundi!

[thx to lolcatbuildr as always.]

animals are striking in solidarity...

2007-12-03T14:35:00.001-05:00

linknip - happy december!

2007-12-03T12:58:00.000-05:00

workin' hard on my monday posts... but here are a few links to keep you occupied...

+ wonderful video: frank's post-bath freakout.
+ NYCers... these kitties need a home!
+ create your own advent tree for your furry loved one.
+ buster and lyla saw their first snow yesterday. not sure they noticed...but i saw buster look out the window once.
+ kittywigs! [via]
+ CLICK THIS! [make sure your speakers are on : )]
+ just take a scroll down cute overload.

today's the day! buster's ballchop update...

2007-11-30T13:38:00.001-05:00

i meant to write about this earlier... but today was buster's ballchop. honestly, i had a few tears in my eyes when i dropped him off at the vet. what? i didn't want him to be scared!

so i just spoke to the vet and he is doing 'just fine'.

['just fine' mary j. blige]

i'll be picking him up in a few hours! i stayed home with lyla today because i thought she might get confused without him around and looking for him... but turns out it's not really affecting her at all. she's just sleeping her day away per usual. yep, i realize i'm overprotective.

['overprotected' britney spears]

regardless, the operation is over and buster is half the man he used to be.

['creep' stone temple pilots]

buster and lyla take on the tub.

2007-11-30T01:04:00.001-05:00

so remember that time the kitties and i had a horrifiying experience with the bathtub? well apparently the kittens have gotten it in their minds that the bathroom is all the rage. they sit at the door just WAITING to be let in there. once in a while we'll let them putz around in there, and they head straight for the tub these days. weird, right? you'd think they'd be scarred after their first forced bathtime experience.

i'm kinda loving that they're getting acquainted with the tub. maybe soon i'll be able to bathe them with ease as is my dream.

here's a video of them being very interested in trickling water.

meet buster and lyla's animal relatives

2007-11-30T00:10:00.000-05:00

my mom always harps on me for not mentioning my other babycats at home in ATL. to make up for it, i'm dedicating a post to introduce the world to the other side of the reeves family cats. in georgia at the reeves home there are 5 [yes FIVE] big brothers and sisters to buster and lyla. i'm also going to introduce their dog cousins. let's get to it.

first up are samantha and tabitha. these kitties are getting to be pretty ancient. we got them when i was in third or fourth grade and now i've been out of college for a couple of years so you do the math. [mom, chime in the comments how old they are, i lose track]. anywho, the cats as you can imagine take their names from the show 'bewitched.' my parents had a knack for naming kitties after tv show pairs...our former cats were wally and beaver.

samantha.

tabitha.

samantha and tabitha are sisters from the same litter. my parents adopted them from a plant nursery in GA. they've been good cats. as mentioned, they're super old and seem to be shrinking each time i go down to visit. they still seem to have quite a bit of energy though. maybe it's because there are so many others around...

next came eleanor rigby aka ellie. you'll notice this is where i took over the naming of the kitties as they get much cooler from here on out. : ) my dad works in an office-parky area where people seem to dump cats sometimes. this is where ellie came from [and also jackson, upcoming]. when i was in high school [i'm thinking around senior year?] one evening dad heard a tiny meow and out came the tiniest kitten. ellie was itty bitty and to this day remains fairly dainty. she feels a little overwhelmed sharing a home with 4 cats... and really took to me when i was living at home. we still have a very special bond. she's kinda a loner as far as other kitties go.

ellie.

jackson [our only tomcat] swept into our lives when i was a sophomore in college [fall of 2002]. i was away from home in nashville and when my mom told me that dad had again found another tiny kitten that they couldn't find a home for, i pleaded for them to let me have him. i wasn't technically supposed to have a cat, but he was worth breaking the rules. or was he? he was a terror. he was the wildest cat i've ever seen. when adopting buster and lyla, i KNEW that i had to adopt a pair. one kitten isn't a good idea because they get lonely, tear up your stuff, go nuts, only have you to play with, no other kitty to socialize them, etc. jackson was my experience with that. ask any of my college friends! no one wanted to come over because jackson would grab people by the ankles and just start biting when they came over. i raised him for a few months, before i took him home during the holidays for his snip snip. after that, he was used to the kittycompany and big house so he stayed there. now jackson has become quite a sweetie. my parents swear that i made up the stories about how crazy he was!

jackson.

last but not least, is lucy [yes, like the beatles song... while my parents were the cheezy tv pair namers, i was the beatles song namer]. my parents found lucy in north georgia at our lakehouse a few years ago. they failed to find a home or a spot in a shelter for her, so we kept her. do you see now where i get it from??!? lucy is a sweet sweet kitty, from day one. her and jackson are boyfriend and girlfriend and just loooove each other so much. it's really cute. one day i came home to visit and noticed that she was now really fat. literally she doubled in size overnight. she is HUGE. i don't know how it is possible for her to get so fat, but she did. [i think jackson has now packed on some lbs to make her feel better]. regardless, she is still a sweetie and a valued member of the reeves cat clan.

lucy.

now onto the canines. my brother matt got married a few years ago to his wonderful high school sweetheart stephanie. while it was really wonderful to add her to the family, matt straight ditched his love for cats and became a dog person. traitor! but it's okay because they have really awesome dogs.

not sure how old he is, but stanley was in stephanie's family before he came to live with matt and stephanie. he's a cutie jack russell and is the most cat-like dog you'll ever meet. fella just straight chills all day. i love that!

stanley.

then along came ralphie. again, not sure how old ralphie is [feel free to add to comments] but he is a sweet mutt. stephanie's sister meredith was working in a vet and brought ralphie home one night as he was a homeless pup. of course everyone fell in love with his puppyface and they had to keep him. ralphie likes to jump on folks, so a little less my style. but he's a sweet boy. both the pups are really well trained.

ralphie.

and shout out to my bro in the background.

well [thank goodness!!] that's all the brothers and sisters of buster and lyla back in georgia. i wish they could all meet one day and play, but since i haven't figured out an easy way to travel with the kitties it probably won't happen. and they'd all be scared to death and/or pissy at one another anyhow.

the yardstick - 11.25.07

2007-11-28T19:10:00.000-05:00

week twelve - eighteen weeks old

jeffers was cat-sitting on sunday so all pics courtesy of him.

buster.

lyla.

bothies.

aren't they getting so HUGE?!?!?

i wish my kitties would go potty in the toilet.

2007-11-28T17:35:00.000-05:00

i was intrigued with the idea of citikitty when i saw it on petsugar today. basically toilet trains your kitties.

when reading about bellasugar's attempts to get her kitties to use it on the site... it doesn't seem very likely. with a little research i've found a few lucky folks but also a few not-so-lucky ones.

hmmm oh how i'd love for kitties to use the potty and not track cat litter all over my tiny apartment, bed, couch, table... literally everywhere. sigh. think this is a rip off? it also mildly weirds me out. what do you think?

this could also work for a WONDERFUL holiday gift for the kitties! ;)

Inquiring minds want to know: what is a lolcat?

2007-11-27T16:55:00.000-05:00

don't worry, i'm back! the kitties were very sweet and excited [probably not as excited as i was to see them] when i arrived home yesterday.

i have loads of pictures and stories to share from my holiday weekend, and i know i need to update a yardstick post [lyla is growing by the minute!] so that's all coming very soon.

lolcat lundi took a week off, obvs. for those family members who wanted to further understand my halloween costume & lolcat lundi here are some links to check out...you kinda just have to see to understand.

lolcats are image macros. photos with text added to make a funny.
+ icanhascheezburger has loads of examples. read the site's history here.
+ this very insightful series on mental floss is broken down in digestible nuggets of info.
+ if you're into this sort of thing, read about Lolcat [cat macros] on wikipedia.
+ for a ridiculously in-depth look, read david mcraney's analysis on ICHC.
+ and consider this chart:

btw, i was a lolcat for halloween...

i can has cheezburger has the best submissions, but here are more sites that feature lolcats:
+ LOLCat.com
+ LOLCATS.com
+ other lolcats on flickr
+ memecats

want to see kitties on a certain topic? check out ICHC's giant tag cloud! [aka my halloween costume from LAST year that no one understood.]

AND HOLY CRAP, just found the Lolcat Bible. amazing!!!!

Genesis 1:1-3
1 Oh hai. In teh beginnin Ceiling Cat maded teh skiez An da Urfs, but he did not eated dem.

2 Da Urfs no had shapez An haded dark face, An Ceiling Cat rode invisible bike over teh waterz.

3 At start, no has lyte. An Ceiling Cat sayz, i can haz lite? An lite wuz.4 An Ceiling Cat sawed teh lite, to seez stuffs, An splitted teh lite from dark but taht wuz ok cuz kittehs can see in teh dark An not tripz over nethin.5 An Ceiling Cat sayed light Day An dark no Day. It were FURST!!!1

-

Now, LOLS have been popping up all over in different iterations.
+ LOLTheist
+ LolBritney
+ LOLpresidents
+ LOL DJs
+ LOLohan
+ lolbots
and my new fave LOLvogue on Jezebel.

anymore? put 'em in the comments! shout out to my dear pal jerryyeti for introducing me to lolcats! my life has never been the same.

Sleepover!

2007-11-25T23:17:00.000-05:00

B&L hung out at my apartment Saturday night. We played video games, watched football and took lots of naps. I dusted off my camera from the last time the kitties came over and took some pics. See them here.

-Jeff

A Weekend Away from Mommy

2007-11-23T08:33:00.000-05:00

Hi! We miss our Mom sooooooo much. She went home for Thanksgiving and couldn't take us, so we're just hanging out with Jeff all weekend. We were up at 6 o clock this morning, running around her bedroom in circles, wrestling with each other, meowing, biting everything we can find. It was so great! Kitty Black Friday is so much fun! Who needs shopping? At some point, Jeff let us into the living room. (I made a Door-BUSTER joke, but B didn't laugh) It was SO AWESOME because we got to knock over the Christmas tree again. That's probably the most fun thing ever. We do it like 20 times a day. You know what's also fun? Hiding all our little toy mice. And not in the usual spot, either. We saw Jeff stumble out of bed and try to get them out with the hanger this morning at like 7:15, but we just laughed and laughed cause they're not there! Where are they? I dunno... It's fun trying to grab the coat hanger from him while he's trying to scoop out toys tho. I wonder why he looks so tired?

So lets see, what else. We learned to get onto a new shelf last night. It's the one where Jeff puts his wallet and cell phone on at night and there are all these little glass vases. So that's been fun to get into. Jeff doesn't look too thrilled tho. We also found this random pink flower and hid it in the bed some time last night. Boy oh boy did Jeff look confused when he found THAT this morning. OH, and Buster's poop smells SO BAD these days. I think Jeff woke up once in the middle of the night because of the stench. He looked like he was gonna throw up.

All that said, we tried our best to be very sweet last night, at least for a little bit. Jeff fed us the special Turkey and Giblets kitten food for Thanksgiving, and it was so yummy we each ate a whole can. When he came home later, we cuddled and nuzzled with him until he fell asleep. He fed us this morning at like 8 and we ate a little bit before passing out in the living room. Black Friday is exhausting!

Ok, I'm gonna go pass out on Cookie Monster for a bit before I go sit on the windowsill and stare at the outside world for the next 5 hours. Cause that's what I do when nobody's around. (And the Christmas tree is already on the floor.) Talk to y'all soon.

xoxo
Lyla

don't eat us...

2007-11-21T13:22:00.000-05:00

merry cat-mas, part uno

2007-11-20T17:55:00.001-05:00

so it's november and instead of thinking about what i want for christmas, i think about what i can get the kitties for Christmas. if you're looking to buy the kitties [or your kitties] a gift, i will offer a few suggestions.

#1 VIDEO CATNIP - http://www.videocatnip.com/

jeff tipped me off to this one after hearing about it on NPR's 'This American Life' podcast. basically, it's a DVD for kitties to watch. apprently kitties are captivated by woodsy scenes.

from the site: 'Video Catnip is a professionally videotaped and edited compilation of Birds, Squirrels, and Chipmunks designed to entertain cats.'

this is why i want it:

this would be perfect for buster and lyla who will probably never step foot outdoors since we live in the city.

only $19.95! free shipping! what a bargain.

more gift options to come...

play with me, wake up, let's talk.

2007-11-20T10:55:00.000-05:00

this is cute.

via. thx to slenz for the tip.

also, been meaning to post this... this is SO lyla in the morning...

oh crap. when i was looking for the last video, youtube pulled me in...

lol. what on earth do you think they're discussing? maybe this?

the yardstick - 11.18.07

2007-11-19T23:58:00.000-05:00

week eleven - seventeen weeks old

buster.

lyla.

both kitties. so cute. tuckered out.

lolcat lundi... lyla likes clothes

2007-11-19T00:03:00.000-05:00

[thx! and go make ur own!]

visit to the vet, part 2

2007-11-18T23:29:00.001-05:00

the kitties visited the vet last week for their third and final round of starter vaccinations and first rabies shot.

i was a tad leery of vaccinating lyla after the 'exciting' events of last time. to be safe, dr. k gave lyla a steroid shot to combat any possible allergic reactions. good news! no swollen face this time around : )

at this visit, buster weighed in at 5.8 lbs... such a big boy. lyla is starting to catch up! she weighed in at 4.35 lbs and doubled her weight from last visit.

BUSTER'S GROWTH...
sept-> oct -> nov
1.6 -> 3.9 -> 5.8

LYLA'S GROWTH...
sept -> oct -> nov
1.3 -> 2.13 -> 4.35

i didn't mention this last time, but lyla has a little heart murmur [i know, so sad, no?] typically if a kitten has a murmur, and it's not a larger issue, it will go away before four weeks, the vet told us. unfortunately, lyla's is still there :( folks advise to check the heart out before she gets spayed and undergoes anesthesia via an echo cardiogram. i'm still trying to decide what to do about the ECG as I of course don't want to put lyla at risk, but can't imagine that the ECG is a cost-efficient test. part of me feels that she still needs to grow a little... who knows. to buy myself a little time, i've gone ahead and set a date for buster's 'procedure' which i lovingly refer to as the 'buster ballchop' in my calendar. d-day is friday november 30th. yikes! if we get buster fixed, then i can rest assured that the kitties won't make kittybabies while we figure out the situation with lyla's little heart before getting her spayed.

off topic, but do any of you lovely readers have pet insurance? worth it? not? scam? please share your stories in the comments or e-mail me! since lyla [especially] is seeming to become my little walking health issue [i mean that with all the love in the world, of course]... i'm curious if it would be worth it. i can get a discount through work benefits so it crossed my mind.

that's the latest in the kitties health : ) will keep you posted on the status of lyla's pitterpattering heart and buster's ballchop! let's hope she just gets really excited and that lyla doesn't really have a larger heart problem.

ALSO! i need a new carrier as clearly they are crammed in the one i have now. does anyone have any recommendations of cute [if possible, or not unfortunate looking] soft, sided carriers. i have a hard one now and it's so difficult to carry and they're outgrowing it!

it's friday! dance party! more kitty videos.

2007-11-16T11:14:00.000-05:00

don't you feel like this now?

okay. i know. so annoying. others.. without that song.

this guy!

um how many cats does this person have.

seriously.

okay i'm crying.

UGH i love people!

omgomgomgomgomg

2007-11-14T11:50:00.000-05:00

if i ever have a yard again one day, i am GETTING one of these.

buster and lyla would love to play with their new bro/sis horse.

i wish i could get them to wear shoes like this too:

i can't even take it!!!! see all this amazingness HERE.

thanks to slenz for the tip.

senti-meow-ntal: new take on an old classic

2007-11-13T17:14:00.000-05:00

dare to compare. [the kitties, not me pls]

at seven weeks & sixteen weeks!

lolcat lundi... sesame edition

2007-11-12T23:31:00.000-05:00

[thx lolcatbuildr.]

edit: i forgot to credit my brother for the idea for this one : )

the yardstick - 11.11.07

2007-11-12T23:10:00.000-05:00

week ten - sixteen weeks old [four months!]

buster.

lyla.

senti-meow-ntal

2007-11-09T16:40:00.001-05:00

remembering the 'smaller' times in the lives of my dear kitties.
what a difference 8 weeks makes!

buster...then and now.

lyla...then and now.

i kinda wanna cry. they're growing too fast!

OK.

2007-11-08T12:41:00.000-05:00

now i'm on a mission. cute overload, [bless 'em!] featured all these videos with kitties that love to take baths. as you may recall, my attempt at bathing was not successful.

but this kitty just loves the water:

[via]

so does this one!

[via]

and so does this one!

i'm flabbergasted!

at this point i'm not expecting them to love taking a bath. however, i think lyla could really enjoy it. maybe i'll try it a little more tactfully this time. i have a feeling she'd totally dig the warm water. buster on the other hand... not EVEN revisiting that one.

kitty picture katchup

2007-11-07T14:55:00.000-05:00

some pictures i like that i haven't posted about yet.

lyla likes to lick.

2007-11-07T14:51:00.000-05:00

lyla is a sweet sister and gives buster a mini-bath. she also likes to lick mommy's face in the middle of the night and wake her up. lyla is lucky she's so cute...

LOL

2007-11-07T13:56:00.000-05:00

this kitty looks just like lyla.

[via cute overload.]

ha.

lyla likes to be naughty.

2007-11-05T18:44:00.001-05:00

but it's okay because she makes up for it in cuteness. here she is sticking her head in a jar.

lolcat lundi: buster and jackson

2007-11-05T18:39:00.000-05:00

this photo is an introduction of jackson to buster. jackson is my surrogate son-kitty living in ATL. buster certainly puts his mommy's attempts at lolcatting to shame!

thx to lolcatbuilder!

buster likes to peekaboo.

2007-11-05T18:35:00.000-05:00

just because he's THAT adorable.

the yardstick - 11.4.07

2007-11-05T18:26:00.000-05:00

week nine - fifteen weeks old

buster.

look at his ginormous paws!

lyla.

so happy together!

buster likes to act like an old man

2007-11-02T11:29:00.001-04:00

doesn't buster look like he has something to say? the other day, jeff and i were having a conversation about what if the kitties could talk. wouldn't that be amazing? i have a feeling buster would just tell stories or talk like one of those 5 year olds that is like a little man deep down. it's just who he is. i mean look at him!

Lyla likes mist.

2007-11-02T11:23:00.000-04:00

the dry air of winter is approaching and it's time for me to crank up the humidifier. lyla showed a particular interest in the mist...

i currently use the wussiest spray bottle on the universe when trying to scold the kitties. its flow probably isn't too much more dense than the humidifier. no wonder lyla isn't responding to it. she probably LIKES it!

happy halloween, again. kitties in costumes.

2007-10-31T15:15:00.000-04:00

oooh youtube. i watch one glorious video with a cat and a costume and 15 minutes later i'm still watching kitty/costume videos.

enjoy!

winston and rudy.

this kitty loves dressing up as much as lyla does.

i love the music edited into this one.

OMG watch it march!!

kitty is bored. ladies are annoying.

OKAY, i wasn't going to put any with edited pictures with music, but there are some good ones here...

it's worth it for the three headed dog from harry potter.

omg i want to eat him.

rolls just like buster! and congrats for naming your cat keroppi. you rule.

OH WOW.an all cat iron maiden cover band.

ok now i'm getting carried away.

mindless video of the day.

2007-10-31T11:14:00.000-04:00

boxes are fun!

and yes, i was totally watching college football in the background.

happy halloween!

2007-10-31T10:56:00.001-04:00

i LOVE this.

good morning kitties.

2007-10-30T00:24:00.000-04:00

is it me or are kitties cuter on a sunday morning when they are beckoning you to relax and stay in bed?

hello buster!

lyla bathes.

the yardstick - 10.28.07

2007-10-29T22:55:00.000-04:00

week eight - fourteen weeks old

this week: one sitting nicely, one on the move, and one cute sleepy picture.
buster.

yes, he is getting so freaking huge, i know!

lyla.

wreaking havoc:

if...

2007-10-29T22:02:00.000-04:00

buster and lyla were in a band, i imagine it would look something like this...

lolcat lundi - lyla licks

2007-10-29T20:05:00.000-04:00

[thx lolcatbuildr]

yardstick coming shortly!

lyla likes to climb.

2007-10-26T16:27:00.000-04:00

maybe it's because she cant jump very well... but lyla LOVES to climb up my shoe rack. please witness reason #473 why i don't buy expensive shoes. buster tries to climb up, but he's a little too big. awwww.

she goes up...

she goes down...